Katherine's Healing
by mmooch
Summary: **Sequel to 'Katherine's Legacy'** A friendship starts to blossom. AU beginning for L/L.
1. Chapter 1: The Inner Musings of Luke’s M

**Katherine's Healing**

Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls belong to the WB and I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.

A/N: A thousand pardons to my betas: DawnDreamer and ktweaver. They helped me with both this story and previously my _'Katherine's Legacy'_ story.

**Chapter 1: The Inner Musings of Luke's Mind**

Luke went around the diner in a haze. The lack of sleep the past week had him in a state of semi-consciousness all the time. And thinking about sleep made him think about the night of his mom's funeral.

_He was passing one of the back rooms when he heard a soft voice singing the lullaby that he knew from his childhood. The young woman who was there had let him cry himself to sleep with his head resting on her lap – which turned into the best sleep he had gotten since the night of his mom got hurt._

Part of him was ashamed at showing such weakness, especially in front of a stranger. But a larger part of him didn't care. She reminded him of his mom and that was all that mattered to him.

The only problem was now he wasn't sure she was even real. When he woke up, there was no trace of her or her baby in the room. And when he talked to Mia, she didn't say anything about anyone being in the room with him. Okay, to be fair, neither did he, but still…

So here he was, barely coherent, thinking about a girl who very well might be a figment of his imagination. He might have to risk Mia thinking he was crazy so he could ask her about the girl. But right now he had his own nutcase to deal with.

"Kirk! If you want a ham and cheese sandwich without ham, that's called a _cheese_ sandwich!" he ground out, fighting the urge to throw the guy out.

"But _my_ way of ordering it is more interesting," Kirk insisted with his weird logic.

Luke clenched his hands at his side to calm down. "_Nooo_, your way is just more annoying!" he snapped before stomping back to the counter to give his cook the order. "Steve, cheese sandwich for the witless wonder over there."

The cook bit back a smile. "Should I ask _how_ he ordered it?" he inquired, fully aware of Kirk's tendencies towards the bizarre.

Luke shook his head, "No. Look, I have some paperwork to finish today so I can go to Mia's tomorrow night. Are you okay alone for a while?"

"Yeah, I'm good," he assured his boss. "You lucky guy; getting a home-cooked meal with an attractive woman like Mia."

Luke's eyebrows raised at that. "You want to go for me?" he pleaded.

Steve snorted, "Only if I feel like getting my head bashed in. She'd tear me apart for showing up instead of you and I _like_ my life, thank you very much."

Luke didn't answer that and turned to head for the storage room. Then he saw a flash of the girl from that night. She was walking past, across the street. She glanced quickly at the diner before continuing her walk. He rushed for the door, but was intercepted by Taylor, who was droning on about something Luke couldn't care less about right now. Already in a tense mood, he pushed the man aside and ran out the door.

By the time he got there though, she was gone. He took off in the direction she was headed, but still didn't find her after two blocks. Dejected, he slunk back to the diner, ignoring everyone as he made his way to the storage room.

When Taylor and a couple of the other locals looked like they were going to follow him, Steve quickly moved forward to block their path. "Leave him alone!" he commanded in his 'don't mess with me' voice.

An hour later, Steve decided to check on Luke since he hadn't heard anything from the room. He found him asleep, sitting on a crate, propped against the wall. It didn't look comfortable and _certainly_ didn't look restful, but he figured it was better than nothing.

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Later that night, the gossip about Luke's strange behavior finally started to die down. Most just figured that Taylor pushed him too far and he went out to keep from punching him. Anyone who had to deal with Taylor would agree that the urge to strike him was pretty common. He really should have known better than to bother Luke this soon after Katherine's death.

As Luke was taking the garbage out when he thought he heard _her_ voice. He spun around and rushed to the street, frantically searching for her, but only saw Sookie getting into a car and driving off. He briefly wondered how she ever got her license; she was so accident prone.

He shook his head as he went back in the diner to finish closing up. The lack of sleep was obviously messing with his mind. Maybe he should take those sleeping pills that Mia kept trying to push on him. Even if he didn't really rest, the illusion of sleep was better than nothing.

His dreams that night shifted between his mom and the girl. _Ohhh_! He wished he could remember what she said her name was. But his grief-stricken mind didn't register it. When he dreamed of her, he could feel her caressing his hair and hear her crooning the song. And so, he drifted deeper into actual sleep, hoping to hear her say her name again.

The morning came and for the first time since the accident, he almost felt…_good_. Not happy of course. But the fog was starting to lift a little. He wondered about that as he went about his day. That was it, tonight he'd ask Mia about her and hope that she was real and Mia knew her and wouldn't make a big deal about it.

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A/N: My Steve cook is completely fictional. It was too soon for Caesar to be working there, so I needed someone else.

A/N2: Next…The welcoming committee strikes!


	2. Chapter 2: The Attack of the Welcome Wag

**Chapter 2: The Attack of the Welcome Wagon**

Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls belong to the WB and I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.

A/N: Thanks to my betas - DawnDreamer and ktweaver.

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**Stars Hollow**

Lorelai couldn't believe her luck! Not only had she escaped Adolf and Eva – Emily being Adolf oddly enough – but Mia was actually going to let her and Katie stay at her house while they fixed up a place at the Inn for them. Katie had settled down for a nap once they got to the house and Mia suggested that Lorelai walk around the town while the baby slept.

Once she was sure it wasn't any trouble, Lorelai gladly set out. She had enjoyed her driving tour of the town so much that she was excited to get a closer look at everything.

As she grew closer to Luke's Diner, nervousness washed over her. Should she go in? Mia hadn't said anything, but Lorelai could just imagine how Luke reacted once he woke up and realized he broked down in front of someone he didn't know. She quickly looked over and saw him talking to that annoying older guy with the beard. He brought his up and before she could read his expression, she resumed walking. She just hoped that if he _was_ upset, he wouldn't start yelling in public.

She only was able to walk another block before she was literally snatched. Unless he managed to get ahead of her, she knew it wasn't Luke. When she saw her abductor, her eyes widened. She searched her memories for the person's name. "Ummm, Miss Patty, right?" she ventured.

"You remembered! I'm flattered!" the boisterous woman gushed. "Where's that little doll of yours?"

Lorelai hesitated. She wasn't sure how much she wanted people to know about them right away. So she vaguely answered, "She's resting right now at Mia's. I decided to stretch my legs a bit."

The ex-dancer's eyes flashed in excitement; she could practically taste the juiciness of the story to be found with this young girl. She would be remiss if she didn't learn what that was. But she could see the pretty brunette was skittish, so she set about putting the girl at Patty pulled the dazed girl along the streets of Stars Hollow, giving her story after story of the town.

A staggering hour later, they were in front of Mia's house again. Lorelai tried to make her goodbyes, but the older woman _insisted_ on seeing her in.

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Fortunately, Mia was better able to put the town crier off and gently pushed her out the door. She turned with a bemused expression. "Are you okay there, Lorelai?" she inquired. "Miss Patty didn't swallow you whole, did she?"

"Actually, she didn't really ask me any questions. She just talked about the town…a _lot_! My ears are still ringing."

"Huh," Mia mused, "She must be lulling you into a false sense of security. She could give police and spies tips on interrogations. It won't be long before she manages to get your life story from you," she warned.

Lorelai looked worried. "Is she really that bad?"

"She's nosy, outspoken and meddlesome. But she is also one of the kindest people you will ever meet," Mia assured her young friend.

"Okay. Well, how was Katie?"

"Never made a peep. The little darling is still sleeping. But Sookie called earlier and want to know if you wanted to do something with her tonight."

"I don't know--"

"At least go out shopping with her. I'm sure there's something you need to get from Doose's, right?"

"If you're sure…I don't want you to think I expect you to always watch Katie. Or we could take her with us."

"Nonsense. If you plan it like this afternoon, she might even sleep through the whole thing. I'll just use the time to catch up on my paperwork."

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Sookie came by just after the 8 o'clock feeding, which gave them just enough time to do their shopping at Doose's. Once they got the groceries in the car, they walked down to the Red, White and Black Theater to watch a viewing of _'Pippi Longstocking'_.

Lorelai was horrified to learn that Sookie had never seen it before. In turn, Sookie was amused at Lorelai's antics while watching the movie. She had never seen anyone interact with a movie so much. Plus she seemed to know most of the words.

On their way back to the car, Lorelai started to get nervous about how long they had been gone, so they picked up their pace. But they were still able to talk about their days and Miss Patty's tour.

Lorelai finished telling Sookie how she had escaped her parents' house just as she got in the car. Unfortunately, her purse picked that moment to spill on the floor of the front seat. She bent over to pick up the contents while Sookie got in and started the car. She managed to finished picking everything up just as they made the turn past Luke's Diner.

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**Meanwhile**

Mia finished her paperwork easily. Katie was almost too well-behaved. She didn't have any excuse to pick the baby up and she felt that was a shame.

As she was closing her date-book, she noticed that Luke was due to come to dinner the next night – assuming he didn't find a way to get out of it. With getting the girls settled in, it had slipped her mind. Now she had to decide how to handle it.

In the end, she opted to wait until just a little beforehand to tell Lorelai that he was coming. Then she'd get a better feel for the situation based on the girl's reaction to the news.

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A/N: Next…Luke's dream girl appears.


	3. Chapter 3: Luke Meets His Dream Angel

**Chapter 3: Luke Meets His Dream Angel**

Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls belong to the WB and I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.

A/N: Thanks to my betas - DawnDreamer and ktweaver.

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The next morning, Luke was rushing around the diner with his newfound energy, trying to make sure he got as much done before his dinner with Mia as possible. When he had the chance to think, he used it to go over how to ask her about the girl.

He decided the safest option would be to say he thought he had a dream that night. She knew he was exhausted and if the girl was real, that she would understand his sleep-deprived mind couldn't tell the difference. Yeah, it was about the same as saying she was there and risking that she was a dream, but it seemed like less of a risk to mistake a real person for a dream rather than the other way around.

He managed to get through the morning rush and his first encounters of the day with Taylor and Kirk. But then his bubble of energy suddenly burst. And by suddenly, that meant he was on his way to bring Babette and Miss Patty their lunch when he collapsed. Not stumbled, not fell, but _collapsed_.

The ever vigilant Steve noticed and after hurriedly shutting off the grill, he rushed to his boss' side. Since there were no signs of injury, he figured it was simply exhaustion. He got the locals' promise to close the diner down while he took Luke to the ER. He'd be back to clean up. He also told them not to worry about people's bills; he'd work it out with Luke later.

While they were at the hospital, he called around for Mia. She wasn't at home like he was expecting; she was at the Inn, giving a new employee a tour of the place. When he finally talked to her, she promised to be there as quickly as she could.

And she made good on that promise, arriving a mere 15 minutes later. Steve thought it took at least a good 20 minutes or more from the Inn. The strange thing was she brought her new employee with her, a _very_ young brunette.

"Steve, this is Lorelai; she and her daughter have just moved to town. She'll be staying with me while we get the old potting shed up to code for them to stay in until they can afford their own place. Lorelai, this is Steve. He's Luke's cook at the diner," Mia introduced them.

"Pleased to meet you, Steve. Is Luke okay? I mean, I know he's not or else he wouldn't be in the hospital, but it isn't anything serious is it because he looked okay when I saw him as I walked by the diner yesterday, not that I was staring or stalking--" Lorelai began rambling.

"Breathe!" he commanded the nervous girl. "So you know Luke?"

She looked uneasily at Mia who shrugged. "Umm, not really. I spent a bit of time with him at Katherine's funeral but I'm not sure if he remembers it because he was so tired he fell asleep. Which was _completely_ fine!" she hastily added in case he thought she was complaining.

"Which is why he is here now," a doctor announced as he joined the group. He guessed that they were talking about his patient. "You're all here for Luke Danes?" he checked. They nodded anxiously. "Are you family?"

"Yes," Mia answered firmly before anyone else had a chance to react.

He nodded, "Okay. Well, he is seriously over-exhausted and in the beginning stages of malnutrition. Do any of you know what might be causing this?"

Steve decided to answer since Mia was starting to tear up, "His mother was in a car accident about 2 ½ weeks ago and her funeral followed just over a week ago. He hasn't slept or eaten very well since she first went into the hospital. Despite our best efforts – which included slipping sedatives into his tea – he just can't get any restful sleep."

"That's not _entirely_ true," Mia blurted out. Ignoring the look of concern on Lorelai's face, she continued, "The day of the funeral, he slept _very_ well for several hours."

Steve looked shocked at the news.

"Did anything happen that day that can be repeated? …Except for the funeral obviously," the doctor requested.

"It was Lorelai," Mia stated bluntly. When this raised matching eyebrows on the two men, she rushed to explain, "He heard her singing a lullaby that his mom used to and it calmed him down enough to help him sleep – as long as _she_ stayed with him and kept singing," she added.

"And you didn't try to repeat this again when he couldn't sleep later?" the doctor asked with a hint of disapproval.

But it was enough to make Lorelai's head drop in shame. It sounded like he blamed her for Luke's condition. And maybe she was. After all, Mia had told her that he wasn't sleeping well since the accident. Just because he managed to sleep that night, didn't mean his troubles were over. And what had _she_ been doing? Fighting with her mother for control over Katie and over their lives.

Mia saw Lorelai's reaction and narrowed her eyes at the thoughtless doctor as she moved to her new friend to comfort her. "She didn't live her at the time, _doctor_," she spat out. "She just moved in with me yesterday after getting away from her verbally abusive parents!"

The doctor stepped back from the venom in the motherly woman's voice. Apparently his words had hurt the young lady as she was close to tears. "I apologize. I didn't mean for it to sound like an accusation. I was merely checking to see if it was an isolated incident or if her presence would be helpful again," he said in a softer tone.

"We'll have the chance to find out when he comes home with the two of us. Until he is doing better, we will take care of him," Mia announced before turning to her friend, "Okay, Lorelai?"

"Of course, Mia," Lorelai agreed quickly. "As long as it is what's best for Luke."

"That answers the next question I had, which was if there was someone who could care for him. He's still sleeping right now, but we have an IV in him to boost his nutrient level and as long as he is okay when he wakes, I'll be glad to sign him out to your care. I just want him to follow up with his regular doctor in a couple days, understood?"

"Even if I have to drag him there myself, doc," Steve vowed.

He chuckled, "Yes. Well, let's hope that he isn't stubborn enough to require such drastic actions. You're more than welcome to wait _quietly_ in his room with him until he wakes up."

"You obviously don't know Luke if you think for one second he won't be stubborn about seeing a doctor," Mia snorted as they made their way to his bedside.

As the others settled in their chairs, Lorelai shifted uncomfortably by the door. "I'll go get some coffee or tea for us," she offered, adding "I have to call Sookie and check on Katie anyway."

"Her daughter's name is Katie?" Steve asked once she left the room, surprised at the coincidence – which it had to be…right?

Mia showed a sad smile. "Yes. I met her just after she gave birth and she was looking for the right middle name for her daughter. She didn't like the first name she was forced to use as a peace offering to her parents. So I told her about Katherine and she liked the idea of nicknaming her baby Katie."

Steve started to respond when there was a groan from the bed.

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Luke blinked his eyes blurrily as he tried to make out where he was. _**'Oh, this couldn't be good…it was a hospital.'**_ He managed to raise his hand to wipe his face, then noticed his visitors. "Mia. Steve. What happened?"

Steve studied his face. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Taking a deep breath, he answered, "Bringing Miss Patty and Babette their lunch." He was _really_ hoping that he hadn't lost any time or memory, like on one of those crazy soap operas.

Steve let out a sigh of relief. "Good. That's the last thing you were doing before you passed out earlier today."

Luke nodded weakly, "So if you're here, who's watching the diner?"

"Some of the locals said they'd close it and I'll go back later to clean up." Steve noticed Luke's panic and added, "Don't worry, Kirk and Taylor were nowhere near the place when we left."

Luke let his head fall back in relief. He turned his eyes to Mia and said with a tired smile, "Honestly, I wasn't trying to get out of dinner tonight. I finally got a halfway decent night's sleep and I guess I overdid it today. Actually I wanted to talk you about something at dinner."

"Good. Steve, why don't you get the doctor in here?" Mia ordered. The cook promptly stood and left the room. "You'll have plenty of time to ask me whatever questions you have after you come home with me."

Luke's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"The doctor wants you to be cared for until a follow-up visit says that you're better." Her own eyes narrowed. "He also said that you were in a state of complete exhaustion and in the beginning stages of malnutrition. You were _supposed_ to be taking those sleeping pills, Luke," she scolded.

"I did, Mia; they just didn't work," he defended.

"Then you _tell_ someone and we find something that does! And you run a diner! How can you be malnourished?" she practically screamed, albeit quietly.

"Probably by forgetting to eat?" he offered child-like, his voice tapering off with fatigue.

"Well, we're not going to let that happen again," Mia declared.

"Who's _we_?" Luke asked, suddenly suspicious.

Before Mia could answer, the doctor came in and had her leave the room as he checked Luke out. Since Luke's eyes were drooping by the end of the exam, he recommended that he stay at least until he woke up once more. Then they would take it from there.

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He stepped out into the hallway. "Mr. Danes fell back asleep almost before I was done examining him. So I think he should stay and we'll check again when he wakes up later."

Lorelai bit her lip, afraid of being scolded by the doctor again. "Umm, Mia? Not that I would mind staying or anything, but I have to go get Katie."

The doctor looked at her. "Is this 'Katie' a small child?" Lorelai nodded. "Then she can't be here. _So_ it would be best if someone else stayed here or watched her for you."

Mia answered, "Well since she's only six weeks old and _needs_ Lorelai, I'll stay here. Steve, would you mind taking her back to my place? Sookie is already there with Katie."

"Not a problem, Mia. I have to check on the diner anyway. …Since things went all screwy today, would you like me and Sookie to take care of dinner tonight?" he offered.

Mia smiled at him warmly. "That would be wonderful. And thank you for thinking of including Sookie as well. She loves being able to work with real cooks."

Steve flushed at the praise and gratitude and mumbled his goodbyes, walking toward the doors.

Lorelai bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at the grown man acting like a teenager with a crush. This was too good! "Okay then Mia. I'll see you back at your house. Would you like me to get one of the rooms set up for Luke?"

Mia smiled. "That's a great idea. In fact, there's a key on a blue key-ring by the back door to Katherine's house, which is across the street. Luke has some stuff that he left in his room – the first door on the right at the top of the stairs. Make sure to get like a week's worth. If you can't find everything, we can have Steve run to his apartment later."

Lorelai nodded and also made her goodbyes before going after Steve. She wondered if Sookie knew anything about this guy – like if he was good enough for Mia. What she had seen so far worked in his favor. She flashed him a bright smile as they walked to his car in the hospital parking lot.

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A/N: Okay, I'm evil, I know. But my Muse was stuck and a friend accidentally gave me this inspiration. So blame him. I _had_ planned on having them meet this chapter.


	4. Chapter 4: Is It Time To Meet Yet?

**Chapter 4: Is It Time To Meet Yet?**

Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls belong to the WB and I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.

A/N: Thanks to my betas - DawnDreamer and ktweaver.

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**Hospital**

Mia sat by Luke's bedside, wondering if she had made a mistake leaving him on his own the last two weeks. But as soon as the thought entered her mind, it was chased out by a screaming voice that sounded suspiciously like a cross between Luke and William, reminding her that he wasn't a child that she couldn't order him around. But still, the guilt remained that her best friend's son was in the hospital. Adult or not, he _was_ going to accept her help this time!

So she grabbed a pen and some paper and spent the next few hours going over plans that included him and Lorelai. She chuckled a bit. This wasn't exactly what she had pictured when she wanted to get them together.

Luke stirred just as she was finishing with Lorelai's work schedule after Luke was up and about. Mia hoped that she wouldn't resist sharing the responsibilities of caring for Luke. After all, Mia _did_ have to be at the Inn once in a while for business. But she noticed there was some anxiety in the girl's eyes earlier; like she was afraid of Luke…or his reaction to her. Mia decided to find out if it was warranted or not. Because she wouldn't allow him to scare the young mother off when she obviously needed a safe place to be.

Mia smiled at him. "Hey Luke*, are you feeling better now?"

Luke grinned back. "A little. But mostly I feel like an idiot for being here."

"Good! Because you _are_ for letting yourself get so run down. I hope you aren't going to give us any trouble when we take you home," she finished with a warning tone.

His eyes opened more. "That's right, you never said earlier who 'we' was. You mean Steve?"

She shook her head, "No. I have a new houseguest. She just moved to town and will be helping me out at the Inn."

"Okay…what's so special about her? You don't normally take in employees. She isn't taking advantage of you, is she?" he demanded protectively.

Mia smiled; even weakened, he wanted to care for those he loved. She only hoped that one day, it would include Lorelai and Katie. "She's a young mother who left a very difficult home life. She did me a tremendous favor once and now I'm returning it. Plus, I really enjoy her and her daughter's company," she added slyly, seeing if he would make the connection.

He sat there, his sluggish brain trying to put the pieces together. When he thought he had it, he asked, "Was she at Mom's funeral?"

Mia saw the hopeful – almost _desperate_ – look in his eyes and inwardly felt her concern melt away. Whatever his response to Lorelai was, it would likely be a positive one. "Yes. Lorelai met Sookie and I in the hospital when she had her baby…Katie." If he was going to freak out about the name, Mia figured it was best to have it happen out of earshot of the girls.

Luke's thoughts slammed in place…Lorelai!!! That was the girl in the library at the Inn. So she was real and Mia knew her! Then the rest of Mia's words sunk in. _"Katie?"_ he whispered. Lorelai's daughter had the same name as his mom?

She nodded, "Like I said, we met just after her daughter was born and she was looking for a middle name that could double as a nickname. I told her about your mom and she was so impressed by the kind of mom Katherine was that she wanted her daughter to share her name."

"When she heard about the funeral from Sookie, she chose to come and pay her respects." Mia decided to leave the rest of the story up to Lorelai to tell if she wanted to.

Luke sat there in shock; the girl who had haunted his thoughts for the last week was connected to his mom – even if it was just in a loose way. He fought to keep the tears that sprang to his eyes from falling.

Mia noticed the brightness in his eyes and, knowing that he wouldn't want her to see it, stood up, saying she was going to find the bathroom before getting the doctor. She was sure that Luke was as anxious as she was to leave. She promised to be back with the doctor in about 15 minutes or so.

Luke just nodded absently, his mind stuck on memories of his mom and also on thoughts of Lorelai. If he understood Mia correctly, he was going to be staying the next few days with both of them…and Lorelai's daughter, _Katie_. He let out a sharp breath at the name. That night he saw them, he was too focused on the song and the feeling of peace from being in Lorelai's embrace. He didn't really look at the baby at all. But he knew that if she were anything like her mother, she would be incredibly beautiful.

Now he was restless waiting for the doctor to come so he could get his release papers and go to Mia's house. He _had_ to see Lorelai again…now! With that fevered thought, he reached for the call button and almost broke it in his anticipation of leaving the hospital.

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**While at the same time…Mia's House**

"Do you know which room I should set Luke up in?" Lorelai asked Sookie, who was putting away the groceries she had picked up. When she saw the contents of Mia's fridge, she had moaned pitifully at its bareness.

"Well, I think she kept one of the rooms decorated in a masculine way for when her son, John, visits; you could put him in there," she suggested.

Lorelai nodded. "Okay. I'm going to see if I can figure out which one that is and whether it has fresh bedding. Then I'll run over to Katherine's and see if I can find some clothes for Luke to change into. Geez, this is a little awkward to be going through his things when we haven't even officially met. Except for the funeral – which I don't think he remembers – so it doesn't count."

"No biggie. Just don't stand there and fondle his underwear," Sookie teased. "But hey! Do me a favor and find out if he's a boxers or briefs guy, 'k? Please?"

Lorelai couldn't help but laugh at her friend's silliness. She shot her a mock reproving look as she made her way to the first of the bedrooms that weren't hers or Mia's.

Once she made the bed in the room she guessed belonged to Mia's son, she made sure the bathroom had toilet paper and clean towels. Then she ran across the street and quickly packed his clothes and the male toiletries she _hoped_ were his in the bathroom. But Mia and Sookie hadn't said anything about Katherine having a boyfriend so she figured she was safe.

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She had just finished unpacking his things in the bedroom when the phone rang.

Sookie yelled up the stairs, "Lorelai! It's Mia! She wants to talk to you."

Okay! I've got it up here," she called back. "Hi Mia, how's Luke doing?" she asked when she picked up the extension.

Mia answered with a smile in her voice, "Good. He just woke up and we talked for a few minutes."

Lorelai caught something in her tone – or maybe her wording – that set her on edge. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Mia rushed to assure her. "We just talked about the funeral and you and Katie," she explained.

Lorelai bit her lip nervously. "And…?"

"He seemed really touched that you named her after his mom. And if I were to guess, he's looking forward to seeing you again," she informed the worried brunette.

"So you don't think he's going to be upset about that night?" she inquired cautiously.

"Is that what you were worried about earlier?" Mia wondered.

Lorelai answered, "He doesn't seem like the kind of guy that enjoys sharing his feelings – especially with a total stranger."

Mia was impressed; this young girl of a woman had tremendous instincts. "Well, you're right about that. He's _not_ the touchy-feely type. But he looked so hopeful that the person staying with me was the girl from the funeral," she promised.

"If you say so," Lorelai answered, still dubious. "Umm, I set up the room across from yours for him and grabbed some things from across the street. By the way, Katherine didn't have a boyfriend, did she? I only ask because I grabbed some toiletries but wasn't sure if they were Luke's. Oh, and Sookie ran to Doose's. I think she's planning on feeding the town for the next week."

Mia chuckled, "That's Sookie for you. Why cook for 3 when you can cook for 30? And don't worry, those are Luke's toiletries; Katherine never felt ready to date after William's death. Well, if all goes well with the doctor, we should be home soon. I'll give you a call before we leave the hospital. Is Steve there yet?"

"Yeah. He and Sookie are sharing a Julia Child moment." She paused before asking mischievously, "Would you like me to invite him to stay?"

"It seems only fair that he get to eat the dinner he cooked," she answered nonchalantly.

Lorelai didn't buy it for a second. She smirked as she promised to pass along the request to the cook. Then she ran downstairs to check on Katie. When she saw that her daughter was stirring, she picked her up and tended to her needs. Then she grabbed the stroller so they could go to the market for a few last minute items.

She called out to the two cooks that she was taking Katie for a walk and they'd be back soon. After a second, she popped her head into the kitchen to extend Mia's invite to Steve – and Sookie, of course. He blushed slightly and nodded his acceptance. Sookie appeared confused for a moment but also agreed to stay.

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Lorelai and Katie made their way to the flower shop and got a couple attractive bouquets for the kitchen and dining room. Then she chose a more masculine arrangement for Luke's room, hoping he wouldn't be offended by the girly gesture.

Miss Patty shanghaied her again on her way back, but all she told the master interrogator was that Mia was at the hospital with Luke. Any other news she'd have to get from one of them, she answered apologetically.

When she walked in the door, Sookie was on the phone. "Oh, she just got in! Did you want to talk to her?" There was a pause. "Okay, then we'll see you two in half an hour. Bye!" Sookie finished chirpily.

She turned to Lorelai and smiled when she saw the flowers. "Nice touch with flowers, Lorelai. Mia said the doctor was pleased with Luke's color and stuff so they were allowed to come home tonight."

"Alright. It sounds like I have just enough time to get Katie and myself freshened up. Would you mind taking care of the flowers. This arrangement is for Luke's room.…Do you think that will bother him?" Lorelai asked, once again worried about overstepping her bounds.

"Nah! His mom loved having flowers around. I'm sure he'll appreciate the gesture. I'll take Katie while you get ready. So scoot!" Sookie ordered as she pushed Lorelai out of the room.

-------------------------------------

A/N: *Mia will only call Luke 'Lucas' to tease him.

A/N: Next…


	5. Chapter 5: Together At Last!

Chapter 5: Together At Last!

A/N: Sorry for the extremely long hiatus. I honestly didn't intend for it to be that long; I was going to wait until it was finished before I posted again, but Musie quit on me. I'm hoping that posting will encourage her.

Warning: I don't know; maybe language and innuendo somewhere along the way.

Thanks to my betas: zigpal, DawnDreamer and ktweaver.

Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB and I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.

**

* * *

**

Mia's house

Lorelai got ready in record time and raced downstairs to help set the table for dinner. There were so many delicious smells coming from the kitchen that she just had to peek. Her jaw dropped at the sight. When she poked her head in before, she didn't really look very closely at what was happening in there.

Her earlier comment about Sookie getting enough food to feed the town might not have been that far off the mark. Every available surface of the counters was filled with crockpots, Tupperware, bowls – all filled with different sorts of foods. And the stove and ovens…

Steve looked up at her gasp, then followed her astonished gaze around the room. Suddenly he felt foolish. He and Sookie _might_ have gone overboard with their cooking frenzy. That young lady was dangerous in a kitchen. Because of her enthusiasm, he didn't notice how much they had done until just now.

"We thought it might make things easier for you guys to take care of Luke if you had food already prepare. This way, all you have to do is warm it up," he explained to try to justify their actions.

The astonished brunette rushed over to give him an enthusiastic hug. "Oh my gosh! I love you guys! Can I keep you?" she gushed, then started walking around to look more closely at all the food.

Fighting his blush, Steve murmured, "It's not that big a deal."

Lorelai spun back towards him. "Are you kidding? This is amazing! What did you cook? Or maybe the question I should ask is what _didn't_ you cook?" she asked, the teasing in her voice evident.

Steve set down the spoon he was using, then began pointing out the different dishes, "Well, I mostly stuck to the simple foods, since that's Luke's preference. There's chili, spaghetti, roast beef with the trimmings. Sookie made some – I don't know, trendy? – dishes. Pork chops with a special marinade, several soups and stews, and chicken with her magic risotto."

Raising her eyebrow in disbelief, Lorelai repeated, "Magic risotto?"

Not really sure he believed Sookie's story, Steve brushed it off. "I'll let her tell you the story. The rest of this is just breads and salad stuff. I'd recommend we eat the risotto dish tonight. I think Sookie really wants everyone to try it, and it is the dish that is best the first time. Everything else is good warmed up, even the pork chops." Then he realized how that sounded and rushed to add, "Not to say the risotto wouldn't be-"

Lorelai held up a hand to stop him, though. "I get what you mean. It's nice of you to look out for her like this."

"Hey, the girl is very talented. She has a real shot at being a star someday. At least in this fry cook's opinion," Steve said in a self-deprecating manner.

She could tell what he was doing and decided to both tease and encourage the kind man. "Mia seems to think highly of your opinion, and I caught Sookie looking awfully excited when she mentioned cooking with you."

Again, he found himself blushing. To get the attention off him, he cleared his throat and moved to Mia's wine cooler. "Really? That's nice to hear. Well, I should open the wine for dinner; let it breathe."

"Umm, you know that Sookie and I can't drink? And I'm not sure if Luke should either," Lorelai thought she needed to point out.

"There's also some sparkling cider, but a glass shouldn't be a problem for any of you," he allowed, feeling he could trust the youths in question not to abuse the privilege.

A little off-balance by his offer, Lorelai shook her head. "I'll still have to pass. I'm still nursing Katie."

"You can just express and toss that feeding. It would only affect one," Steve explained before shrugging. "However, it's your choice to make."

She knew she wouldn't take the chance regardless. Her and alcohol were not friends – as her own history proved. That still left the issue of his comments about expressing. "How do you know so much, and why aren't you freaked about talking about that stuff?"

Steve smiled at her easily. "My cousin is a nurse who works with babies. She shares all the information at family gatherings. It's a big family so there's any number of pregnant or nursing mothers at any given time. Which is why I'm okay with the subject. You should probably know that Luke is the opposite though. He'll freak out if you mention nursing in his presence," he warned.

Lorelai nodded. "Thanks for the warning."

Then Steve got a thoughtful expression on his face. "Although…that might be interesting to watch."

Her eyes widened in shock and amusement. "You're evil!" Lorelai declared happily.

He answered her with a chuckle. "You better believe it. Have to be able to make my boss suffer any way I can."

Realizing she didn't know that much about either man, Lorelai sat on a stool. "Why do you work for him? I mean, not that there's anything wrong with it-" she started to babble.

Steve cut her off before she sprained something in her backpedalling, "I understand. When I retired from the Navy, I wanted to do something I liked. I've tried a few things and so far this is the most enjoyable job."

"That's really cool. I hope I like working at the Inn," she admitted nervously.

"I bet you will," he pronounced confidently. He felt he was a good judge of people and had a good feeling about the girl. "Just from talking to you and hearing what Sookie and Mia have said about you, you sound like a people person. That's what the hospitality industry is all about."

Just then, Sookie came through the door, carrying Katie in a pretty sundress. "Hello, hello! Look who I have!"

Taking one look at the tiny brunette, Steve cooed – actually _cooed_ – at the baby. "My goodness, she is a heartbreaker. You'll have to carry a baseball bat when she's old enough to date to keep all the boys away," he warned her proud mama.

Lorelai tickled her daughter gently as she pretended to ask her the question, "Hey there my little angel. Were you a good girl for Sookie?"

"Was she ever! I can't wait to have my own kids…except I can, 'cause I want to graduate high school and get married and oh my gosh, I didn't mean to insult you," Sookie stopped her own ramble when she realized that she might be hurting her friend's feelings.

But Lorelai brushed off the apology. "That's okay, Sook. If I could have waited until those things happened, I would. Only problem is that it wouldn't be Katie then. So, to me, the trade-off is worth it. But I wouldn't recommend it to anyone else," she declared adamantly. She held out her arms to receive her daughter from Sookie's possession, unable to stop herself from breathing in the baby smell she loved so much.

They heard Mia call out from the living room and moved to join her and Luke. Lorelai let the other two go first, still worried about 'meeting' Luke. She squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. Then she released it, and walked through the kitchen door.

"…And this is Lorelai Gilmore and her daughter, Victoria Katherine – or Katie to us. Girls, this is Luke Danes," Mia finished her introductions as Lorelai stepped into the room.

The pair stared at each other awkwardly until Katie got a hold of her mother's hair and gave it a good yank. When the spell was broken, Steve suggested they sit down to Sookie's excellent dinner while it was still warm.

**

* * *

**

Later that evening…

Dinner was a quiet affair; other than Sookie's nervous ramblings, that is. Fortunately or unfortunately, Luke was tired shortly after and wanted to get some rest. Since Lorelai was the one to set up his room, she was the one elected to bring him there. Plus, Mia wanted them to talk and get over this awkwardness between them.

Luke was the one to break the silence as they went up the stairs, "Uh, Mia told me that we kind of met at the funeral."

"Yeah, but given how exhausted you were, I'm not surprised you don't remember," Lorelai allowed, not wanting him to feel guilty about that.

He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Oh, I remember. I just thought maybe I imagined you," he confessed, a blush rising from his neck to his cheeks.

Lorelai grinned at that. The blush was a good sign. "Really? Good imagine or nightmare imagine," she asked, fishing for a compliment.

"Good…very good. I, uh, wanted to thank you for what you did for me then." Luke took a moment to center his thoughts and emotions; he hated admitting stuff like this – and she was practically a stranger. "It was the first time I felt anything less than completely miserable since the accident."

"Well, I kinda felt I owed your mom for using her name and our talks in the hospital. Did Mia tell you about them?" He shook his head curiously. It was Lorelai's turn to make a confession now. "I went to see her after visiting hours to talk about things. Even though she never talked back, it helped to share my worries with her. So when she died, I sort of felt like I knew her, and wanted to say goodbye. Then you found me, and…it just seemed right."

"Speaking for myself, I'm glad you came," he said shyly. "If there's anything I can do for you-"

Lorelai cut him off, "Just listen to Mia. I'm sorry; I know it isn't my place, but she's so worried about you, and she's doing me a huge favor letting stay here while she fixes a place up for us at the Inn. That, and giving me a job. She's been great to me and Katie."

"She's great that way. Mia is happiest when she's mothering someone," Luke told her with a wistful, yet proud, smile. "Guess she has two of us for the next week or so, huh?"

She saw that they were standing in his room, and began to feel a bit nervous about it. "I guess so. Well, I should let you get some sleep now."

Luke felt a strange bubble of panic rising within, and couldn't stop himself from pleading, "Lorelai? Would you mind singing the song for me again? Just until I fall asleep?" He could hate himself for this later, but right now he couldn't let her go away.

Setting aside her own discomfort, Lorelai could see how hard it was for him to admit he needed somebody. She couldn't make it harder for him by saying no. "No problem. I'll just wait here while you get ready for bed."

"Thanks," he whispered hoarsely.

A/N: Alright, my poor followers, I need some help here. I want to go through the rest of the year using the song, 'Calendar Girl'. If you don't know it, look at this link: .com/watch?v=BITaKu5Pm1g. What I need from you are ideas for moments for Lorelai and/or Katie to mark each month. It doesn't need to include Luke, but it wouldn't hurt. Basically, just moments to establish the girls as part of Stars Hollow.

A/N2: Next…On the road to recovery.


	6. Chapter 6: Gratitude

**Chapter 6: Gratitude**

Warning: I don't know; maybe language and innuendo somewhere along the way.

Thanks to my betas: Sorry for any mistakes. I wanted to get this posted so I didn't have it beta'd.

Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.

**

* * *

**

Mia's house

The household fell into a routine over the next few days; sometimes with Mia staying home with Luke, but more often than not, Lorelai would care for him and Katie while Mia took care of the Inn. Regardless of how the days went, though, each night ended with Lorelai singing both Katie and Luke to sleep with the lullaby.

One night, Luke's curiosity got the better of him and he asked, "Can I ask how you decided to come here? Didn't Katie's father object?"

Lorelai scoffed bitterly, "Christopher wouldn't care enough about Katie to object. He only came to see us when somebody forced him to."

Even though she was trying to act like it didn't bother her, he could tell she was heartbroken that her baby wouldn't know her father because he was a putz. "Well, he's an idiot then. Anyone who could turn their back on such a sweet baby like Katie obviously isn't dealing with a full deck. And since I know several people in town who are crazy, I know what I'm talking about," he added teasingly, hoping to see her smile.

She just chuckled, her bad mood broken by the comment. "Yeah, I've gotten a chance to meet a few of them. They are…unique, aren't they?" she inquired diplomatically, unsure if he'd appreciate her badmouthing his friends and neighbors.

"A bunch of fruitcakes, if you ask me," Luke corrected. Then he thought about the people for a moment and added in a gentler tone, "But even they wouldn't abandon their child like that putz."

Sighing, Lorelai confessed, "I'm not sure what I ever saw in him – other than the stupidity of liking his 'bad boy' image. Just didn't realize it was hiding his 'jerk' one."

"I'm sorry."

"Eh, not your fault I was an idiot. At least I wised up enough not to marry him when my parents tried to force us. That's part of why I left them." She outlined her and Katie's life in the Gilmore mansion the past couple months – and what her own life was like before that.

Luke felt overwhelmed just hearing about what she had to put up with. Suddenly Stars Hollow didn't seem that bad to him. Plus, he knew that his parents would have loved him no matter what. "Wow. I can't even picture having parents like that."

Knowing that she was still angry about things, Lorelai admitted, "Well, I'm obvious biased; they probably aren't as bad as I make them sound."

"Still…" he trailed off when he couldn't think of what to say. He smiled at her shyly and changed the subject, "Well, can I just tell you from a strictly selfish standpoint that I'm glad you're here? Not just because of how you helped me, but how you've brought Mia so much happiness. If it weren't for you two, she'd be missing my mom a lot more than she is now. You've given her a purpose outside the Inn."

"It's nothing compared to what she's done for us," Lorelai replied gratefully. Mia was the mother she always wanted to have.

"Nonsense. And when the doctor finally says I'm fit to work again, I'm gonna help her get the shed ready for you," Luke promised.

She knew from Mia that accepting help was difficult for Luke, so letting him 'pay her back' was important – even if she didn't think he needed to. "Thanks."

**

* * *

**

Doctor's office

After two weeks of TLC with Mia and Lorelai, Luke went back to the doctor for a follow-up appointment. He checked the chart of Luke's emergency visit and was pleased to note the young man had managed to gain almost 5 pounds since then.

Luke wasn't as thrilled about it and complained loudly, "It's all their fault!" Part of him enjoyed the TLC, but mostly he was annoyed that he needed it.

"Whose?"

"Lorelai, Mia and Sookie's. I think they even got Steve in on it. Every time I woke up, one of them was ready to shove more food in my mouth," Luke said, clearly irritated by the care he was getting.

The doctor laughed and replied, "That's good. You obviously need it. Your bloodwork no longer shows any signs of malnutrition or dehydration."

"Fine, but can you tell them to let me work now?" Luke pleaded. "They've only let me go into the diner during the rush times: breakfast, lunch and dinner. That's less than five hours each day, dammit! It's my business and I should be there!"

"Has it been suffering during your absence?" the doctor asked objectively. It shouldn't make a difference, but if he was too worried about his diner, all the food in the world wouldn't help him recover.

Luke shook his head grudgingly, "No. They've filled in for me, and they have me do the paperwork in my apartment upstairs between the rushes."

Sounded reasonable to the doctor. "So…?"

"It's my restaurant, my responsibility. They shouldn't have to re-arrange their lives for me," Luke finally admitted what was really bothering him.

"It's what friends do…and it sounds like they care a lot about you. Consider yourself fortunate," the doctor commented, "not many can say the same thing."

That kind of hit Luke right in the gut; it was something his mom would have said if she heard him whining like this. And yes, he knew that he was whining. "I know. It's just the only ones I even really know are Mia and Steve. I only knew Sookie from around school; and Lorelai, I just met her. It's weird that they would care so much."

"Just be grateful that they do. From these earlier notes, you were headed for some serious health problems. You were making yourself very sick, Mr. Danes," the doctor warned him, hoping that the young man finally would understand how dangerous it had gotten.

And Luke did…really, he did. "I get it. Can you tell them to back off now?" he asked in a more subdued manner.

"Only if you don't let your health slide again," the doctor retorted, glad that his patient had people who would care for him. His guess was that they wouldn't let things get this bad again.

**

* * *

**

Mia's house

"Here! I have a note saying I can go home," Luke announced as he entered the house. They must have had dinner waiting in the oven, based on the smells in the air. Great! More food to shove down his throat.

Mia ignored him and said to the young mother, "Don't take it personally, Lorelai. A lot of his personality comes from his father, and believe me, you've never met a more prickly man. But they both have a heart of gold under all the thorns," she added, glancing up at Luke with a soft smile on her face.

"It's okay, Mia," Lorelai replied, waving off the older woman's apology. "I understand where he's coming from. Whenever I was sick growing up, I was a complete pain; that's why I avoid it now."

The pointed look that Mia threw him made Luke offer his own apology and an explanation, "I'm sorry. I just don't like relying on other people so much. Now that I have the doctor's all-clear, I can pay you both back by helping you fix up the shed," he suggested.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea! We couldn't ask for better help. Just let me know when your schedule is clear, and I'll make sure you have the supplies necessary to do the work," Mia commanded, thrilled that they were going to be spending time together without her even needing to orchestrate it.

"I'd like to help too," Lorelai spoke up shyly. "Just so I know some stuff about home repair for when Katie and I are out on our own."

Smiling at the young girl/woman, Mia commended her, "Very sensible attitude. You don't mind, do you, Luke?"

Luke, who was secretly glad to spend more time with the brunette, answered nonchalantly, "Nah."

**

* * *

**

Mia's home

**A couple days after starting on the shed…**

It all sounded good in theory, but in practical terms, Luke thought the more distance between Lorelai and tools, the safer her home would be. The girl was a walking accident waiting to happen when it came to home repair. It got so bad that he insisted that she only hand him things.

Lorelai felt horrible about all the trouble she was causing with the remodeling. She was such a useless little debutante!

"What's the matter, Lorelai?" Mia asked after finding Lorelai crying in the kitchen one afternoon.

"Maybe I was wrong to leave my old life. Maybe all I'm good for is to be a proper society wife," Lorelai spit out bitterly. It would make her mother cackle in glee to find out she was right.

Mia put a comforting arm around Lorelai's shoulder. "What? Why would you think that?"

"I'm a menace in the kitchen, and an even bigger danger with tools," Lorelai answered between sobs. "Honestly, I don't understand why Luke allows me to be within a hundred feet of the shed while he's working."

"It could have something to do with the fact that he enjoys your company. You and Katie are the only ones who can make him smile since his mother died – at least genuine smiles." Handing the younger woman a tissue, Mia gave her a stern look before inquiring, "Let me ask you something: would you be happy doing what your mother does?"

Lorelai declared immediately, "No! I probably would kill myself or somebody else by the end of the first DAR meeting."

"So, you were right to leave. Not to mention, you didn't want Katie to grow up the way you did," Mia reminded her gently.

"I guess," Lorelai reluctantly allowed. "I just wish I wasn't such a klutz around Sookie or Luke; it'd be nice to be able to help them."

Thankful that Lorelai seemed to be past the worst of her breakdown, Mia pressed on, saying, "Listen, you have plenty in common with them. Just because you can't cook doesn't mean you can't discuss food with them. In fact, I seem to recall you helping Sookie perfect her salad dressing a couple days ago."

"And I don't even like salad normally. Okay, you've managed to derail my pity train. Thanks, Mia," Lorelai said, giving the older woman a hug and kiss on the cheek.

Mia smiled brightly at the affection. "Happy to help. You are a wonderful young lady and need to believe in yourself more."

**

* * *

**

A couple weeks later…

Luke was refilling Lorelai's paint tray when he accidentally spilled some on her hand. "Oops. Sorry about that."

Even though Lorelai wasn't really upset, she mock-growled, "Sure you are. I think this means war!" Feeling the urge to be a little crazy, she flung some paint at Luke, then did the same thing to Sookie.

It looked like Luke was going to get angry for a moment, but his eyes got a wicked gleam in them at the last second. Lorelai saw the look and started backing away from him.

A short, yet enthusiastic paint war later, and all three of them collapsed on the floor, gasping for air. For Luke and Lorelai, the laughter was cathartic – washing away the pain and misery of the past couple months. For Sookie…well, she just loved to laugh and have fun.

Lorelai looked around the shed; the previously neat walls and ceiling were now like art deco…and she _loved_ it! "Cool! This is perfect for us."

Luke took in the scene a little more critically. It looked like a bunch of paint cans exploded. Then he saw the enthusiastic nods of his female companions and shrugged helplessly. Lorelai was the one who had to live with it; if she was happy, he wasn't about to complain.

* * *

When Mia stopped by later to check on their progress, she tilted her head to the side to study the room. For one horrible moment, Lorelai was worried her adoptive mom would be angry at the 'mess'. The older woman just smiled and declared, "It's very you, Lorelai. I like it."

Breathing a huge sigh of relief, Lorelai gushed to explain, "Thanks. We just had a little paint fight, and voila! Katie and I have a home worthy of being hung at the Met."

* * *

A/N: Alright, my poor followers, I need some help here. I want to go through the rest of the year using the song, 'Calendar Girl'. If you don't know it, look at this link: http:/www. youtube. com/watch?v=BITaKu5Pm1g. What I need from you are ideas for moments for Lorelai and/or Katie to mark each month. It doesn't need to include Luke, but it wouldn't hurt. Basically, just moments to establish the girls as part of Stars Hollow.

A/N: Next…The 'calendar' begins with Christmas in Stars Hollow. I know the song goes from January to December, but I want to mix it up for this story.


	7. Chapter 7: Calendar Girl, Dec Thru Mar

**Chapter 7: Calendar Girl, December Through March**

A/N: Little snippets of time during Lorelai and Katie's first year in Stars Hollow. The song won't match up in the rhymes 'cause it doesn't follow the calendar year. Some of the months will be very short.

Warning: I don't know; maybe language and innuendo somewhere along the way.

Thanks to my betas: zigpal and ktweaver.

Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.

* * *

_**(December) You're the present 'neath my Christmas tree…**_

Christmas came as almost a surprise to Lorelai. Sure, she saw the decorations all over the place, but somehow the idea of the actual holiday slipped past her mind. Guess it wasn't all that much of a shock considering everything that had been going on the past couple months.

A small part of her missed being back at the mansion, but she knew deep in her heart it was more the familiar traditions it stirred up than the sense of happiness that she never felt. And with this being her and Katie's first Christmas away, the loneliness threatened to choke her.

She had forgotten there were people here that weren't willing to let that happen to her. Mia, Sookie – and even Luke and Steve – were determined to make this a happy day for her. Using the excuse that the Inn was fairly quiet, Mia decided to have a small Christmas party, surprising the young mother at the end of her shift Christmas Eve.

Apparently Sookie was of the same mind that Luke and Lorelai would be good together because she started plotting how to trick them into a relationship – or at least physical contact. She secretly hung a sprig of mistletoe over the area in front of the fireplace. Then she maneuvered Luke into going over there to check on a loose nail or something, followed by asking Lorelai to bring him a cup of hot cider.

As soon as the two were in place, Sookie screeched to the room that they were under the mistletoe together and had to kiss. Embarrassed, Luke tried to get away with kissing Katie – who was in her mother's arm – instead. Even Mia piped up that he cheated by not laying one on Lorelai. Sighing resignedly, he looked down at the young mother, only to find her returning his gaze with her own mixed shy/smirking expression. He quickly leaned down and gave her a chaste peck on the lips – much to the enjoyment of the crowd in the room.

Before he could pull away, Lorelai put down the cider and grabbed his hand, giving it a friendly squeeze to show she was okay with it. Luke squeezed back and gave her a half-smile to say thanks.

* * *

_**(January) You start the year off fine…**_

Lorelai was excited.

She was about to attend her first town meeting with Sookie and Luke. Mia was staying home with Katie; she claimed because she didn't think the baby would enjoy the meeting, but Sookie whispered that the real reason was so Mia wouldn't have to watch Taylor make demands from the stage. The guy wasn't even an elected official, but had to stick his nose into everything.

Sookie said Taylor was what made the meetings fun to watch though. Yeah, they had to deal with important town issues, but some of the things Taylor insisted were 'serious' issues were funny as all get-out. Like the time he thought all the houses on a given street should be painted the same color and the street names changed to match that color. Meaning, Red Street would all be painted red. He thought color-coding the town would make things easier to find _and_ provide an interesting draw for tourists.

That's the sort of thing Lorelai was hoping to see at this town meeting. Thankfully, Taylor didn't disappoint. Sure, it wasn't as _colorful_ – pardon the pun – as the street issue, but the signs he wanted posted all around the town pond/swimming hole, warning people of the dangers of swimming without a lifeguard was amusing. Doubly so, seeing as how it was January and the pond was frozen over. He just said that it would take time to come up with ideas, present them and vote on a winner. Then there was the issue of funding whatever the winning idea happened to be. Taylor actually thought that less than six months was cutting it close!

Somehow, he convinced the town selectman to hold an 'emergency' town meeting the following week to present ideas. Luke said it had something to do with the fact the town selectman was Taylor's father. It was likely that the elder Doose was preparing his son to take over the reins so he could retire to Arizona. The day-to-day store operations were already being handled by Taylor. All that was left was the political stuff.

* * *

**A week later…**

As soon as the introductory comments were made, and Taylor opened the floor to suggestions, Lorelai stood up, holding a large bag. When she got to the podium, she pulled a sign – which was 2' by 3' in size – out and held it up for the townspeople to see. On the left side, she painted a yellow diamond with the word 'WARNING' painted inside in black. On the right – again in black – were the lines 'NO LIFEGUARD ON DUTY' with 'SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK' underneath.

She explained that she made ten signs; two for each end of the pond and three for each side. That way, they could be posted far enough apart not to crowd each other, but close enough that somebody couldn't claim they didn't see them. As for the cost, she used scrap wood from the inn, along with some stencils and paint from the hardware store. Mia was willing to donate the cost of the materials and Lorelai donated the labor, so there was no cost to the town if they were satisfied with this solution.

Upset that he didn't get to control the sign campaign, Taylor immediately complained that she couldn't be sure the signs were effective. Lorelai replied that they were the same wording, lettering and size as the signs in different country clubs she visited all over the East Coast.

Smirking to himself, Luke stood up and suggested that they put it to a vote. A few minutes later, the signs were voted in almost unanimously by the townspeople. As soon as the ground thawed enough in the spring, Luke would put the signs on posts and set them in place around the pond.

* * *

_**(February) You're my little valentine…**_

Valentine's Day turned out to be a big deal in the Gilmore shed. Not because of the crass commercial holiday that infected the town – Luke's words, although Lorelai semi-agreed with him. It was an important day because Katie said her first word.

In spite of Luke's harsh words about the holiday, Sookie came over to the shed to watch sappy romantic movies with Lorelai and Katie. First there was _'An Affair to Remember'_, then _'Sabrina'_, and finally, _'Casablanca'_. Lorelai and Sookie were shooting quotes back and forth after the movies, and when Lorelai said, "Play it once, Sam", Katie started chirping, "'am, 'am, 'am" and pointing to the TV screen.

Astounded, Lorelai rewound the the tape to the scene and pressed play. As soon as Ingrid Bergman's character said the lines, Katie giggled and said, "'am, 'am, 'am."

Torn between joy that her daughter said her first word, and hurt that it wasn't 'mama', Lorelai started laughing. If nothing else, this proved they were mother and daughter; they had the same taste in movies.

* * *

_**(March) I'm gonna march you down the aisle…**_

Although she wasn't assassinated, Lorelai felt a little like Caesar when she ended up in court on March 15th. She really needed to 'beware the Ides of March' this year. At the end of February, her parents found her and were trying to force her and Katie into going back to their home. Or at the very least, marry Christopher – which would probably result in them living with either his parents or hers until they turned 18.

Fortunately, she had Mia on her side. Mia, who had foreseen something like this being possible, and had started the process of getting Lorelai emancipated. As soon as the teen mother came to Stars Hollow, Mia looked up the requirements of what was needed to declare a child emancipated from his or her parents. Then she made sure that Lorelai fulfilled all of them.

Still, it was up to a judge to decide her fate, and the Gilmores had money and power on their side. Neither side knew much about the judge presiding over this case, however, since she was an new appointment to the bench. Lorelai hoped that since the judge was female, she'd be supportive of a woman taking charge of her life.

Judge Kardon heard the testimonies from both sides, and saw that not only did Lorelai have a home, job, bank account and budget, she was also studying to get her GED so she could take college courses in order to provide for herself and her daughter. On the Gilmores' side, they kept referring to the baby as a 'youthful mistake' by their daughter and the child's father. It was that attitude which reinforced the judge's decision to grant Lorelai her emancipation. In her opinion, Lorelai was behaving more responsibly in this matter than her parents were.

On top of that, upon finding out about Christopher's complete lack of concern about the child he helped to create, the judge went a step beyond and gave Lorelai temporary full custody of their daughter, ordering him to pay $500/month child support. Her decision was based on the fact that if Lorelai could supply that much towards their child, he certainly could since he didn't have to worry about caring for her in addition to working. Each year, there would be a 10% increase, with wage checks every five years. That was to ensure that if he suddenly began earning substantially more than Lorelai, the child support payments would reflect his increased responsibility to his daughter.

He had the opportunity to challenge this decision within 60 days, but if he wanted to get custody, he'd have to prove Lorelai was an unfit mother – which she clearly was not at that point in time.

* * *

A/N: The judge from Lorelai's hearing was the same one who sentenced Rory to 300 hours of community service after she stole the yacht. I figured she would be more sympathetic to somebody taking responsibility for their 'youthful indescretions' than the parents who want to sweep it under the rug.

A/N: Next…April through July.


	8. Chapter 8: Calendar Girl, Apr Thru July

**Chapter 8: Calendar Girl, April Through July**

A/N: Little snippets of time during Lorelai and Katie's first year in Stars Hollow. The song won't match up in the rhymes 'cause it doesn't follow the calendar year. This chapter will be very short.

Warning: I don't know; maybe language and innuendo somewhere along the way.

Thanks to my betas: zigpal and ktweaver.

Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.

* * *

_**(April) You're the Easter Bunny when you smile…**_

During the Easter egg hunt, Lorelai was helping Katie find the hidden treasures when Kirk suddenly surprised her by asking her out on a date. Oddly enough, the fact she had a daughter was a selling point to him. Lorelai didn't want to know why, though. She let him down as gently as he could, then shuddered as he accepted her rejection and went back to being Taylor's errand boy for the day.

* * *

_**(May) Maybe if I ask your dad and mom…**_

"Get out the good stuff, 'cause I'm celebrating!" Lorelai shouted as she entered the diner.

Turning away from Kirk and his star-shaped grilled cheese, Luke asked, "What are you talking about, Lorelai?"

She just beamed at him, not caring that he was being growly. "Today is a day of good news after good news, and it calls for some splurging on my part. Gimme some coffee and a burger with the works," she demanded.

Luke glared despite his amusement, then reminded her, "Coffee isn't good for you or Katie."

"Fine, how 'bout a chocolate milkshake then?" she compromised. Before he could enjoy his victory, Lorelai added, "But only because of Katie." Things were gonna change when she finished nursing, that much was for sure.

He nodded and moved to get her order in. "Now, what's all the good news?"

Lorelai waited until he finished blending her drink before she answered, "First…I took my GED test and got the results today. I am now free to take college classes," she told him proudly.

Luke bit back the urge to smile. Over the past several months, he'd grown fond of the young mother – and not just because she would sing the song for him whenever he asked. They truly had become friends. Still, he couldn't let himself appear too sentimental. "Congratulations. Knew you could do it," he remarked stoically.

"And the even better news is that the deadline for Christopher to fight the custody decision came and went without a peep from him." She reached in her purse and pulled out an envelope. "Plus…I got this fabulous little check in the mail; this month's child support and the last five to boot. Even though I doubt that Christopher himself is responsible for the money, it's still nice to have it. Who knows, maybe someday he will step up and give his own money."

* * *

_**(June) They'll let me take you to the Junior Prom…**_

Mia glared at the young man sitting across the desk from her. He was being so stubborn. "Lucas Danes, after all she's done for you, the least you can do is take Lorelai to the prom!" she ordered.

He sighed. It wasn't that he wanted to be difficult about this – although he'd rather get a tooth drilled than go to a dance in a monkey suit; it was just that Mia seemed to be forgetting a rather big thing. "But neither of us even goes to Stars Hollow! Don't you think it's strange for us to go to a prom at a school we don't attend?" he asked.

"You graduated from there. And besides, I talked to the principal and he said that since you would be part of a group with Sookie and her date, he would bend the rules for you," Mia assured him. Her expression turned pleading as she continued, "Please, Luke… She's had to miss out on the last two and a half years of high school. While I doubt that she regrets having Katie, I think she would like to experience at least one of the things she missed. We can't give her a graduation, but we can give her a prom."

"Fine. But I'm not doing any stupid dances!" Luke growled.

True to his word, Luke only danced slow songs with Lorelai, but that was more than enough for her. The night was still perfect since she was with her two closest friends.

* * *

_**(July) Like a firecracker all aglow…**_

As much as she enjoyed the fireworks celebration, Lorelai still felt like something was missing.

Hearing Lorelai sighing softly to herself again, Sookie asked, "Wish Katie was here, don't you?"

"Am I that obvious?" Lorelai asked in return, not even bothering to deny it.

"Only to somebody who's spent five minutes with you two," Sookie answered with a teasing smile. She pointed to the stuffed animal in Lorelai's arms and said, "Plus the fact that you keep hugging that chicken you won for her earlier at the ring toss booth."

Lorelai let out a fully-audible sigh this time. "Don't get me wrong; I can see why Mia thought it would be too much for Katie – especially the noise from the fireworks – but I just like doing these town things with her," she explained with a slight pout.

While Sookie couldn't fully understand the whole mother thing, she did get how close Lorelai and Katie were. It was almost freaky the way they were in tune with each other. "Who knows, maybe she'll be able to come next year. Ooo, maybe if she wore earmuffs or something, the noise wouldn't be so scary!" she suggested excitedly.

"That's a cool idea. Thanks, Sook… In case I haven't told you this recently enough, you're the best friend a girl could have," Lorelai gushed, hugging her tightly.

* * *

A/N: Next…August through November. (Last for this story)


	9. Chapter 9: Calendar Girl, Aug Thru Nov

**Chapter 9: Calendar Girl, August Through November**

A/N: Little snippets of time during Lorelai and Katie's first year in Stars Hollow. The song won't match up in the rhymes 'cause it doesn't follow the calendar year. Some of the months will be very short.

Warning: I don't know; maybe language and innuendo somewhere along the way.

Thanks to my betas: zigpal and ktweaver.

Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission._ 'Calendar Girl'_ performed by Neil Sedaka.

* * *

_**(August) When you're on the beach you steal the show…**_

They had decided to go to the Stars Hollow swimming hole – yes, there was a pond that was safe enough to swim in – for a little relaxation. Lorelai decided to wear a one-piece suit because she wasn't satisfied that she had gotten back her pre-baby figure yet. Sookie didn't mind because she knew that baby or not, Lorelai was a knockout, and if she wore a bikini, any girl with her would be invisible. Mia didn't bother with a suit since she couldn't stay long; too many things to do at the inn.

Everything was going along swimmingly – pun intended – until Katie got her hands on one of the lemon drops the girls brought for a treat and stuck it in her mouth. Less than a minute later, she began to choke. Fortunately, both Sookie and Lorelai had taken CPR for children – the former because of her volunteer work, and the latter because she was afraid something like this would happen.

Kirk ran to call an ambulance. Then, with Mia calmly directing them, Lorelai swept Katie's mouth with her finger, but didn't dislodge the candy. Then she put Katie face down on her forearm, with her head lower than her chest. She used her hand to support Katie's chin, keeping her arm resting on her thigh. Sookie double-checked to make sure Katie's mouth was clear and that her neck was straight.

Nervously, Lorelai struck Katie's back between the shoulder blades with the heel of her other hand. Once…twice…three times… On the fourth slap, the candy fell out onto the blanket, and Katie started crying. Everyone else joined in out of relief that she was okay.

When the paramedics arrived ten minutes later, they commended the girls on staying calm – which sparked a comment by Taylor that all adults should learn CPR and the Heimlich maneuver for adults and children. He decided to make it the main topic for the next town meeting. Whether or not it was really necessary for _all_ the adults of Stars Hollow to know, seeing Katie go blue was enough of a visual wake up call for them not to fight him on it. They even went a step further and had a first aid for babysitters class set up at the high school every three months.

* * *

_**(September) Light the candles at your Sweet Sixteen…**_

"Mama, 'ook!" Katie demanded, pointing to Lorelai's used college text book. The young mother had just signed up for two night school classes that met on Monday and Thursday nights. It would take longer to finish, but she didn't want to be away from Katie anymore than two nights.

Lorelai shook her head, guessing that her baby wouldn't really be interested in freshman English or philosophy. "Those are mommy's grown up books. They aren't for babies."

If there had been any doubt that Katie was Lorelai's daughter, the half-scowl/half-pout that appeared on her little face wiped them away. "Mama, 'ook!" she cried again, then followed it up with a sniffle-y sound.

Sighing, Lorelai caved, saying, "Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you." She grabbed her English book and Katie, then sat down on a love seat from the inn that Mia gave her after replacing it with a different style in one of the reading rooms. "Ready? Okay, here goes… The art of fiction. Fiction – from the Latin…"

Oddly enough, Katie never acted as if she didn't like the 'stories' that Lorelai would read to her. As an added bonus, it helped Lorelai remember what she read since she read it out loud. After that, they made it a nightly ritual to read from Lorelai's schoolbooks. If Katie still wanted a story after that, they would pull out the Dr. Seuss books.

* * *

_**(October) Romeo and Juliet on Halloween…**_

As expected, there was a town festival to celebrate Halloween. Lorelai had a devil of a time coming up with costumes for her and Katie, but then she got inspiration from the movie Sookie gave them for Katie's birthday earlier that month.

Before going to the festival, they stopped in to see Luke at the diner. He took one look at them and asked, "What the hell are you supposed to be?"

Shocked that he didn't recognize them, Lorelai didn't even give him grief about swearing in front of Katie. "You've never seen _'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory'_? That's just wrong, Luke! This weekend you're gonna have to come over and watch with us."

She put Katie down so they could stand side-by-side in their matching white bib overalls and brown shirts. They looked bizarre with their green-dyed hair and orange skin. "Katie, sweetie…what are we?" Lorelai asked.

Katie smiled proudly and declared, "Oompa-oompa!"

Rubbing his forehead to stave off the impending headache that would come after he asked the question, Luke bravely inquired, "What is an oompa-oompa?"

"Actually, we're oompa-loompas," Lorelai corrected. "They're the people who make the candy in the chocolate factory. Whenever one of the children taking the tour would misbehave, they'd have a little song that they'd sing."

As soon as she said the words, Katie started singing the song – or at least her version of it – and tried dancing, but ended up on her bottom. It didn't stop her from chirping the song, though. Luke would have complained, but all the customers in the diner were cooing over the small girl. Plus, he thought she was pretty damn cute – but he wouldn't admit it for all the coffee in Columbia.

* * *

_**(November) I'll give thanks that you belong to me…**_

When Thanksgiving rolled around, Lorelai was stunned to realize that she had been in Stars Hollow for nearly a year. She left the Gilmore mansion the weekend after Thanksgiving to make a better life for herself and Katie. There was tons to be thankful for this year, and the thought made her smile.

She wasn't the only one who knew about the anniversary. Sookie and Mia had a little party planned to go along with the inn's holiday meal. Even they were surprised at one of the guests, though.

"Hello, your honor," Mia greeted the judge who presided over Lorelai's emancipation hearing. While her tone was friendly, she was wary of the woman's presence.

Judge Kardon must have recognized the unease in the room because of her. She reassured them all, "I'm here in a strictly non-official capacity. I just wanted to see how Lorelai was doing; she was pretty impressive in my courtroom last spring."

Swallowing her own fear, Lorelai brought Katie over to say hi. Once that was done, they sat down for the meal, and the judge was put next to Lorelai so they could talk semi-privately about how things were going.

When she heard that Lorelai was only taking two classes at a time, the judge was concerned that it was finances holding her back, but Lorelai quickly explained, "I don't want to get overwhelmed with work, Katie and school. Besides, most of the money we get from the child support is going towards _Katie's_ college fund. We can get by on the money I earn, and if we need a little extra for a doctor's visit or something, I take some of the child support money to cover it. We're doing pretty good in my opinion."

Impressed at the teenager's sense of responsibility, Judge Kardon smiled at her. "Looking at Katie, it's clear she's not suffering. I'm not sure how much a virtual stranger's opinion counts, but I'm proud of the way you've handled things, Lorelai."

Much later, after everyone had gone home or back to their rooms, Lorelai cuddled with her baby girl back in the shed. A song came on the oldies station which made her smile. When the chorus began, she joined in, singing to her smiling Katie:

_Yeah, yeah, my heart's in a whirl  
I love, I love, I love my little calendar girl  
Every day (every day), every day (every day) of the year  
(Every day of the year)_

* * *

A/N: Heimlich info from http:/firstaid. webmd. com/tc/choking-rescue-procedure-heimlich-maneuver-baby-younger-than-1-year.

A/N2: That's it for this story. More to come in the sequel – but I'm not sure when that will be.


End file.
